True Love
by AfewSentencesShortOfaParagraph
Summary: My Eli POV's are back! This is When Love Takes Over in Eli's Point of View. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**They're baaaccckkkk!**

**That's right, welcome to the second installment of Season 10 episodes in Eli's point of view. I am beyond excited to be back and I hope you all feel the same way! **

**I have decided not to miss the opportunity to write some EClare cuteness- before everything starts to go awry in Jesus, Etc. So, this chapter here is When Love Takes Over- Part One in its entirety. I don't know how many of you have been reading these Eli POV's since I started writing them, but if you have, you know that I usually do four chapters for each episode. Well, this, because I am mostly taking liberties and filling in blanks, is going to be set up like my story Pure Bliss (Halo- Parts 1 and 2). That means there will only be two chapters, but their usually epically long… **

**Enjoy, my friends! **

**Guess what! I don't own Degrassi. **

**Now…welcome back to (my version of) Eli's mind. =) : **

Adam never came back to his party.

Clare and I went looking for him after the party was over, opting to clean the abandoned church at another time, but before we had the chance to find him I had to get Clare home for curfew. If I didn't, her mom would probably request my head on a silver platter, and it wasn't as if I needed another reason for the Edwards to dislike me.

"I should probably get you home," I noted, checking my watch. Clare and I were back at the church after checking for Adam at his house and Fiona's. We had figured he might have come back to the site of his wildly successful party, but he was nowhere to be found.

Clare sighed, collapsing against one of the crumbling walls and picking up a red, plastic cup. "Too bad clean up won't be as fun as the actual party."

"Yeah, well, you win some and you lose some. But seriously Clare, I need to get you home. We can clean up tomorrow morning."

"Wahoo," Clare mocked, but then looked down at her own watch. "Oh, shoot, you're right. It is getting late."

We ran back to Morty, and I quickly made my way to Clare's house. I knew the route so well that I was able to put myself on auto-pilot and just think about everything that had happened in the last few hours. There were two main conflicting emotions in my head- elation when I thought about Clare and worry when I thought about Adam.

I pulled up to Clare's house with five minutes to spare before she was officially late. "I hope Adam worked everything out with Fiona," I commented.

"Me too; I would feel better if Adam was answering his phone. Then we would at least know that he's okay."

"I guess he just wants to be alone. There's always tomorrow- I'll call him first thing."

"And then you'll call me to tell me if he's okay?" I nodded, and Clare continued. "There's so much cleaning we have to do this weekend. I was really hoping we could finish your room, but now we have the church to think about, too."

I groaned. "Clare, I'm genuinely happy right now. Let's not mess that up by mentioning work."

And I really was- happy. Being alone with Clare in Morty; well, it felt like everything in my life was in the right place. This was exactly where I belonged. Thoughts of Adam slowly started to become less and less frequent as Clare's shining, bright blue eyes met mine in the darkness.

I felt her hand slip into my own as she scooted closer to me so she could rest her head on my shoulder. "You really mean it, Eli?"

"Of course; how could you even doubt that?"

I felt Clare shrug one shoulder. "Maybe I'm just afraid that nothing this perfect could ever be real. I mean, I love you, Eli; I always want you to be happy, but it almost seems like happiness is never within your reach."

I tilted her head up so I could recapture her gaze. "Believe me when I say you have single handedly bottled up happiness and given it to me, Clare. My life wouldn't be worth living if I didn't have you in it."

"Don't say that," Clare chastised me fiercely.

"Fine, I won't. But that doesn't change the fact that it's true."

Clare shook her head. "I don't think you realize how wonderful you are. The world needs more people like you, Eli. You're not just good because you have me. You're passionate, considerate, loyal, thoughtful…I could go on, but then I would never be able to stop."

I could see where she was coming from, but I didn't quite agree. However, there was no sense in arguing over it at that moment. Clare's curfew was quickly approaching. I placed a lingering kiss on her nose. "You have to go inside."

Clare deflated a tad. "Yeah, I suppose I do. After you get a hold of Adam we'll all head to the church to clean up?"

"Oh, yeah, sounds like the perfect way to spend my Saturday morning."

Clare smirked knowingly at me. "I bet your room will take less time this weekend, and we can use Sunday to just relax."

"That sounds much more appealing," I smiled at her. "Now go before your parents call the police because they think I've kidnapped you."

With a wave Clare closed Morty's door, and bounded into her house. I sighed, already able to feel her absence settling around me.

I didn't like the feelings that started to take hold of me when Clare was gone, but lately they were becoming more intense. It was almost like I could feel something coming- something unpleasant.

I shook off the crazy thoughts, and started toward my house. I let a yawn overcome me, and I realized how truly exhausted I was. I would have no problems sleeping, that was for sure.

When I got home I changed, and then collapsed in bed, letting the amazing night with Clare settle around me. She was my wish come true, and I was never letting her go.

XXX

The next morning I woke to the soft buzzing of my cell phone on my bedside table. I attempted to rub the sleep out of my eyes, but it wasn't working so I gave up and answered my phone without checking to see who was calling. "Hello," I muttered groggily, sleep still thick on my voice.

"Have you called Adam yet?" was Clare's peppy reply.

"What time is it?"

"9:30; why?"

"Call me again in half an hour," I requested, about to snap my phone shut and go back to sleep. Clare's voice on the other line did not permit me to end the call, though.

"Eli, come on! We have lots of work to do today, and I made some coffee for when you come by to pick me up."

"Sounds like you already drank it all, Clare."

"I may have had one…or three…cups. But it's only because I want to get a head start on everything. Let's go, go, go!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose- there would be no way to fall asleep, now, with the headache that was kicking in. "Okay, okay. Clam down; I don't want you to have a heart attack. I'll call Adam and then get back to you."

"Atta boy!"

"You can't see me right now, but I am glaring at you."

"And I'm sure you look adorable. Hurry up!"

"Bye, Clare. Don't you dare have any more coffee, got it?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

I rolled my eyes, and then ended the call before punching in Adam's familiar number. I was honestly surprised when he answered after the second ring.

"Hey, man. What are you doing up so early?"

"I am asking myself the very same question, my friend. But that's not the important issue at hand. What happened to you last night? Clare and I went looking for you after everyone went home, but you were MIA."

"Oh, yeah, well Fiona never answered her phone even when I was standing outside her condo. I felt so stupid for believing, even for a second, that she was into me in any way. So I just went for a walk. I didn't really feel like answering your gazillion calls, so I turned my phone off eventually."

"Yeah, Clare and I noticed that. You really had us worried, you little shit!"

"Sorry, but I was fine. No cause for panic."

"I know that now, but next time you drop into an eddy of despair, give Clare and me a call first. And, speaking of despair, we are not letting you sit around all day moping. What do you say to some breakfast and a fun game of 'party clean-up'?"

"Sounds like a grand old time as long as I have my best friends there to keep me sane."

"Misfits unite," I chuckled.

"Exactly!"

"Great, so, Morty, Clare, and I will be around to get you in about forty five minutes."

Adam muttered a confirmation and hung up. I sent a quick text to Clare telling her I would shower, and then be over to get her.

After I was showered, dressed, and ready I made my way over to the Edwards' house. An extremely caffeinated Clare answered the door when I rang the bell. "Hi, you look tired. Did you not get enough sleep last night? I slept like a baby. Is Adam okay? Did he sound upset? Where are we going to breakfast? I'm starving. After I get a full belly I'll be so ready to tackle a full day of cleaning!"

"Wow, Clare, breathe. Please, you're making me nervous."

She took a deep breath and smiled up at me. "I took your advice, and didn't drink any more coffee, but I still feel really lightheaded."

I placed my hands on her shoulders. "That's probably because you have never had so much coffee in your life. We need to get some carbohydrates in you pronto."

"Pronto…that rhymes with Toronto…that's where we live!"

I couldn't help it; I laughed. "If you're this loopy off of coffee it's probably a good thing you're Saint Clare otherwise. I'd hate to see you drunk."

Clare stuck her tongue out at me, and handed me a large cup with a lid. "Here's the rest of the pot that I made. I suggest you drink it soon, because if you don't, I will."

"I would not want that," I asserted honestly, taking a sip. I almost choked at the amount of sugar Clare had added. No wonder she was acting like a loon. "It's delicious," I lied, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

"Mmm, isn't it? Mom, we're leaving; I'll see you later tonight!"

After Clare's mom yelled back a reply that I did not catch, Clare grabbed my hand and tugged me toward Morty.

Clare chattered the entire way to Adam's house, going on and on about the party as if I hadn't been in attendance. I laughed at her vivid description, soaking up every word as if I really hadn't been there because Clare was just so happy talking about it. I was also still worried that Clare was going to go into cardiac arrest at any moment.

When we finally got to Adam's he was sitting on the front porch waiting for us. As he trudged toward the hearse I noticed the spring in his step was missing, and his eyes held a sadness I hadn't seen since he was trying to force himself to be Gracie again.

"So much for not moping," I commented as he slid into the front seat, forcing Clare to slide closer to me.

"I hate you," he informed me.

"Nah, you could never. I'm just so damned loveable."

"You sure are," Clare commented quickly, "I just couldn't help but fall in love with you. That could just be me, though. I have a strange taste in guys. And not a whole lot of luck, either."

"Thanks, Clare, your confidence in me is touching."

"Dude, did you, like, drug her, or something?"

I sighed. "Or something, alright. Clare had a few too many cups of coffee this morning. And it is in no way, shape or form my fault, thank you very much."

Clare took that as her cue to fill Adam in on everything he had missed from his party. About halfway through her recounting, Adam leaned forward to raise his eyebrow at me. I just shook my head at him, trying to subtly tell him just to go with it.

"Hey, just because I'm high strung right now doesn't mean I am unobservant. I saw that. Not that it matters. I'm still really hungry. Where are we going? We should go to The Dot. I love The Dot. It has great coffee!"

"No more coffee!" Adam and I shouted in unison. And then, Adam's eyes lit up, and he started to crack up. I was starting to feel thankful for Clare's little caffeine binge; maybe it would distract Adam from his Fiona troubles.

Clare crossed her arms and pouted. The sight made _me_ crack up uncontrollably, so it was a good thing we had just arrived at The Dot.

After the hour we spent eating breakfast and being generally goofy Adam already was starting to look much more like himself. Clare was also starting to calm down, so that was a plus. We all piled back into the hearse so I could drive us to the abandoned church.

Cleaning up wasn't really the task I had been dreading. For one thing, the three of us working made everything go by so quickly. Not to mention, we were all feeling a little buzz as we realized what a success the party had actually been. The entire area was spick and span within the hour, and we all sat down in a circle on the ground after throwing the last full trash bag in the back of Morty.

Clare was finally completely sane, and asked the one question I had been dying to hear the answer to since last night when Adam took off. "So, what exactly happened, Adam?"

He sighed, casting his eyes downward. "Fiona said she was going to come to the party…or, I guess she didn't say that in so many words, but she made it seem like she wanted to. So, when she didn't show I started to get worried; I thought maybe something had happened to her. I went to her house, but she still wouldn't pick up her phone, and after about ten minutes of sitting around out there like a loser I realized why she didn't show. Fiona could never like a guy like me. Let's face it- she's the hottest girl in the 12th grade, and I'm…me."

"Adam," Clare said softly, her face contorting in pain for our friend, "don't think like that. Any girl would be lucky to have you. I mean, can we talk about how romantic it was of you to throw a party in her honor."

"Yeah," I quickly jumped in, "Fiona's really silly for not realizing what a great guy you really are. And you'll find someone who really appreciates you, man. Believe me, girls love us sensitive types."

"Do we, now?" Clare raised an eyebrow at me.

"Who was going on earlier about me being loveable?"

Clare blushed a deep red. "I was under the influence; that's not fair."

"Yeah, coffee is such an equivalent to alcohol."

"We are not focusing on the more important issue- Adam and Fiona."

"You're right; how insensitive of me."

Clare chuckled and I pulled her into my lap, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Could you _not_ be so in love right now?" Adam groaned.

"We could try," Clare said reasonably, but she turned back to meet my gaze and I couldn't help but get lost in all the love that was present in her expression alone.

"Nice effort, guys," Adam's sarcasm interrupted out moment.

I laughed. "Sorry…I just…she's my everything. I can't help but admire her every now and then. Anyway, I promise you that we will come up with a killer distraction for you to get your mind off Fiona."

"I would like that," Adam said glumly.

Clare hopped off my lap. "In the meantime, Eli and I have a room to clean, and I am pretty close to crashing, to be honest. So, let's head home, shall we?"

"How's that coming anyway," Adam asked as we stood up to join Clare on her way back to Morty. "Your room, I mean."

"It's coming…as long as Clare is there to help me I can pretty much get through everything."

"And you didn't want to 'take her down this road'. Told you she could handle it, you fool."

"And I will forever be in your dept for that sound piece of advice."

Adam smiled, and spoke to Clare and me as we slipped into the hearse. "Thanks for being here for me today. I needed the two of you."

"We were happy to be here for you," Clare assured him, and I nodded my agreement.

The ride back to Adam's was much more quite considering Clare fell asleep on my shoulder. Adam whispered another thanks and quietly slipped out of the car as soon as I pulled up to his curb. Neither of us wanted to wake Clare, so I just nodded silently at him, waving as he made his way inside. I slowly started to drive back to my house, enjoying the pressure of Clare's head on my shoulder, the light sound of her heavy breathing, and her intoxicating scent surrounding me. Damn, if I didn't love her with everything I had…I felt like Clare had become a physical part of me. I wasn't going to be able to be away from her; my feelings were so intense that even I was caught off guard.

Unfortunately, when we arrived at my house I had to shake Clare awake so I could get out of Morty.

She sat up, still a little disoriented. "Where's Adam?"

"I already dropped him off at home. He said to thank you again."

"He's such a good kid; he deserves to be happy."

I laughed at the maternal edge in Clare's voice. "He does…and he will be. Apparently, it just won't be with Fiona."

"I'm glad my happy is with you."

"Maybe you should go back to sleep. You're getting dangerously cheesy."

Clare smacked my arm. "Not that I'm opposed to going back to sleep, but we have a room to clean, remember?"

"Ah, yes, my infamous room; how could I ever forget?"

We shared a small, private smile before slipping out of Morty and walking hand in hand to my room. I instantly got to work as Clare went on a search for trash bags. When she came back we worked for a good half hour, but Clare said she needed a break, so she plopped down on my bed. It didn't take her more than two minutes to fall back asleep. I paused in my work, and watched her chest rise and fall, noted the perfect innocence etched into every feature. She was unbelievably beautiful, and I decided not to wake her. Luckily, her presence was enough to keep me strong as I worked diligently for the better part of two hours.

The last thing I threw in the trash bags was a popcorn bucket. As soon as I placed it in the garbage I let my eyes scan my now-clean room. I let a smile turn my lips up. I had really done it…

"It looks so different clean."

I jumped, turning around to find Clare sitting up, and very much awake, on my bed.

"When did you wake up?"

"At least ten minutes ago. I would have gotten up to help, but you were doing so well on your own. I'm really proud of you, Eli."

My smile grew more pronounced, and I walked over to the bed so I could sit next to her. We slowly leaned back, lying on our sides so we could face each other.

"It's all thanks to you," I reminded her.

She was staring at me so intently that I shook lightly. It was like her gaze was literally touching my soul. I was completely under her spell until she spoke, "I love you so much I would give up coffee for the rest of my life."

I chuckled lightly. "Aww, that's too bad, you were really funny all hyped up on caffeine."

"I'm glad you find my insanity so amusing."

"Hey, it was nice to be the sane one in this relationship for once."

Clare rolled her eyes. "Fair enough. So, Elijah, how much do you love me?"

"Fishing for compliments, Miss Edwards?"

"No, I just think this is an interesting…game."

I looked at her, taking in every inch. What could I possibly say that would convey how much I loved Clare? "Fine…I love you so much I would listen to country music. How does that one song go- 'God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you'?"

Clare's eyes widened, and she gasped quietly. "You would listen to country…and songs with the word God in them? You must _really_ love me."

"You know I do," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I had no idea how much, though."

I laughed, pulling her closer to me, wishing I could just crawl inside her and spend the rest of my life with her.

Clare sighed in content, and shifted so her back was pressed up against my chest. I saw her eyes circle the room, until they landed on something that made her tense up. I mirrored the tension, feeling the panic immediately spread through my body. What could have possibly been wrong right in that moment?

"Um, Eli…," Clare trailed off uncomfortably.

"What?"

Clare sat up, and her eyes landed on the only picture I had of Julia and me. She looked pointedly back at me before he eyes trailed back to the picture. I didn't take me long to realize that Clare had a problem with me keeping the picture on display, so I lurched off the bed to grab the picture. I walked over to my closet and shoved it in with my shoes.

"Why are you, um, keeping that?"

"Clare," I said delicately, not wanting to hurt her feelings, "she's still a part of me. As much as I wish she wasn't…it doesn't change the fact that her life touched mine. I really don't want to forget all the memories, you know? It's just one picture. Please don't be upset."

Clare looked down at her hands. "I'm not…I was just confused as to why you would want to keep it on display; a constant reminder day after day. You're just starting to get…better."

"Keeping one picture of Julia isn't going to make me relapse. Besides, I have you to make sure I stay sane."

Clare smiled, the tension leaking out of her posture. "That's what I'm here for."

I smiled back, and held out my hand. "Come on- let's get you home."

XXX

Sunday, as Clare had promised, was perfectly relaxing. I went over to her house and we worked on homework. Once we finished that, we invited Adam over to watch a few movies. He gratefully accepted, going on about how we were the perfect distractions for him. Clare and I were even able to control ourselves keeping our hands mostly to ourselves as not to make Adam uncomfortable.

All in all, my weekend had been perfect, and I was looking forward to the week.

That was, until I walked into school Monday morning to find Clare at our lockers with a poster in her hands and a devilish smile on her face.

"Did I miss something?" I asked, worry creeping into my mind. Clare was freaking me out by not saying a word. She just stood…staring at me.

"I found the perfect distraction for _all_ of us," Clare told me excitedly.

"What in the world are you talking about?"

But Clare ignored my question, spotting Adam in the hall and calling him over.

"What's up?" he asked, as confused as I was by Clare's extreme excitement.

"Here," was all Clare said, thrusting the poster at us.

The poster was an announcement about Degrassi's drama club- pleading for people to come and audition as well as for people to work behind the scenes.

"You want us to…join a play?" I asked, just to clarify.

Clare nodded. "I already told Mr. Simpson I would be stage manager, and that you would be the director. I know you wouldn't be onstage, but I wanted us to do this all together. I figured a position of power would be good for you. Simpson was so happy; apparently they've been scrambling to get a crew together for a while. And, Adam, I figured a good way for you to earn the attention of some of the ladies here at Degrassi would be to show them your sensitive side- you're auditioning for the lead!"

Adam and I shared a look of disbelief.

"Did you have more coffee this morning?" I asked, only half joking.

"No actually; I just love Degrassi Drama. I was prop master for the last show, remember?"

"How could I forget, Miss Grundy award winner?"

"I guess I could be okay with this," Adam piped up. "I mean, if we're all doing it together, it'll be guaranteed fun, right?"

"Right," Clare asserted confidently. I wasn't really in a position to decline since Clare had already offered my services up to Simpson, so I just nodded, figuring I might as well make the most out of the project. Clare and Adam were right- as long as we were doing it together, it would be fun.

So we spent the next few days fully dedicated to auditioning people, building sets, and mapping out blocking. I was pretty sure directors usually got more notice for their shows, allowing them to prepare, but I had to work with the little time that I had. Unfortunately, we were having trouble finding a leading lady that not only had chemistry with Adam, but could match his talent. Clare and I were blown away by his audition; the kid had some natural skills when it came to the stage, and had instantly landed the lead.

On Wednesday morning Adam and I were walking down the halls discussing the show.

"The girls would be less awkward about the kiss and being in love with me if I wasn't a transgender. I seriously make a motion to drop out," Adam requested for the third time within twenty four hours.

"No way in hell, man. You are too good to give up. This show is already being thrown together haphazardly…the last thing we need are sucky actors. You bring the part to life! I can't picture anyone else as the lead."

Adam rolled his eyes, and I saw them land on Anya MacPherson who was walking out the front door with flowers in her hand. Whenever I saw her in the hall she was just too damn peppy.

Clearly Adam liked what he saw because he immediately turned to me. "What about Anya for the play?"

"No," I shot down the idea, "too…cheerful." The part was pretty heavy, intense. I doubted Anya's ability to portray it realistically.

"We've auditioned ten girls," Adam reminded me, exasperated, "not one as good as Marisol." I cringed just thinking about it again. Sure, she was a decent actress, but there was nothing but air in her head. No way was I going to subject myself to working with a mindless monkey. "Offer to resign reinstated."

"And, again, overruled." There was no way I was giving up the only good thing about our show. "We'll find your perfect leading lady," I assured him with much more confidence than I actually felt. But I noticed Adam had stopped listening to me, all his focus directed at something else. I turned to find Fiona staring at him. They both had a mutual look of attraction in their eye. Maybe the play could be less of a distraction for Adam…and more of a set up. "There she is," I joked.

"Hey, Adam," Fiona greeted him, starting to walk closer.

I took that as my cue to leave. "Adios," I winked at Adam subtly before taking off to find Clare.

She was at our lockers, shoving books in her own.

"When do you think they're going to give these stupid theme weeks a rest?"

Clare jumped, clearly having not heard my approach. "This one at least makes sense," she defended after taking a few deep breaths.

"Yeah, but Valentine's Day is still the biggest load of crap ever. The only good thing about it is I will be spending it with you."

I circled my arms around her waist pulling Clare to my chest. I gave her a quick peck on the head before releasing her so we would avoid getting caught for the public display of affection.

Clare sighed. "At rehearsal tonight, if we don't finally pick someone to be our female lead, we are officially dead people walking."

"Oh, don't worry; I've got some prospects that Adam quite approves of. We just have to see if she's a decent actress."

"And who might you be talking about?"

"Fiona," I declared. Clare's eyebrows came together in confusion, so I launched into my explanation. "You should have seen them in the halls just now- sparks everywhere. It was pretty clear to me that Fiona didn't ditch on the party because she doesn't like Adam. She definitely likes him…there's just something in the way. So we'll use the play to move it along."

"Who know Eli Goldsworthy was such a romantic?" Clare joked, playfully nudging me with her shoulder.

"If you tell anyone, I'll have to kill you," I shot back before I grabbed her hand, gave it a squeeze, and then made my way to my first class of the day.

The day passed by fairly quickly. At lunch Clare asked Adam all about his and Fiona's encounter in the hall earlier that morning, and Adam gladly gave her the details. It sounded like Fiona had no problem kissing Adam, and she was going to audition for the play. All three of us were happy to finally have a decent person auditioning, and we were all more than happy for Adam. He seemed to be on Cloud 9.

After school we all met at Adam's locker to discuss how he was doing on memorization and such as we walked to the school's auditorium. We found Fiona sitting on a bench outside patiently waiting for our arrival.

I gave her some pages of the script to look over before she did a cold reading, and Clare and I went to go change into our Degrassi Drama t-shirts.

Once we got back I found Fiona pacing back and forth while reading the script while Adam stood back and watched. I shook my head at him; the kid was smitten…not that I had any room to talk.

"You ready?" I asked Fiona.

She looked up at me and shot me a blinding smile. "Yeah, I think I am."

I returned the smile and gestured for the stage. "Show us what you've got!"

Clare, Adam and I lined up in front of the stage to watch Fiona's performance. She launched into the monologue I had given her, and I was pleased to find she was actually pretty good. She was comfortable, confident; delivered her line loudly and with feeling. She was pacing a little awkwardly, but that was something we could easily fix.

I glanced at Adam to find that love-sick look of awe on his face again. I smirked to myself. This could be fun.

"You liiiike her," I accused.

"Stop it," Adam requested, but couldn't control the small smile that crossed his features.

I nodded, pretending like I was going to give it a rest. But, a few seconds later, I continued, enjoying Adam's flustered reaction.

"You loooovvve her."

"Do not," Adam scolded me, still having trouble keeping a straight face.

I gave up on watching Fiona- she had already nailed the part. I decided to discuss things further with Adam. "And she likes you. Why else would she agree to do our play?"

I could see the thought taking root in Adam's mind. He really wanted to believe that she liked him. But, for obvious reasons, the kid was trying to protect his heart. "Well…maybe she doesn't…know about me. Fiona keeps to herself; doesn't pay attention to gossip. If I could get her to know the real me first then maybe the whole transgender thing wouldn't matter down the line."

Sure, it was a good idea in theory, and I really wanted it to work for Adam…but, "That's a pretty big 'if'." I felt like Mr. Cynical, but somebody had to point it out.

Just then, Fiona finished up her monologue, and walked toward us. "So," she started hopefully, "do I have the part?"

I glanced at Adam again, trying to gauge his response. After what we had just talked about I was unsure if he was still okay with Fiona being his opposite. But Adam shrugged and nodded, a pretty clear sign that he still wanted to do this.

"The leading man approves," I told her, relieved to finally have a female lead. That was one less weight on my shoulders. "But you'll have to work hard to catch up." I shoved Adam closer to Fiona, and Clare gave me a knowing smirk. I knew I was being less than subtle, but these two needed a major push.

"That wasn't obvious at all," Clare smiled at me as we pretended to look over the script. We were really just keeping an eye and ear on Adam and Fiona.

"Well, it looks like it's working, so no lip from you, missy."

Adam and Fiona seemed to be discussing a 'date' later. Atta boy!

"I'll see you at seven, Adam," Fiona assured him before walking off.

Clare and I were beaming at him, but when he turned around we quickly tried to make it look like we hadn't been listening the whole time.

"Yeah, real smooth, guys," Adam accused, walking back to join us, "especially you, Eli."

"Hey, it worked, did it not? You have a date with Fiona Coyne tonight. It's okay to just thank me."

Adam leaned over to Clare. "I don't know how you put up with this smug asshole."

Clare just laughed and slipped her hand into mine. This project was officially fun.

XXX

Later that night Clare and I were taking a walk in the park. She had called me to come pick her up because she needed to get out of the house. Apparently, her parents had gotten their schedules mixed up, and they didn't know who was staying the in house with Clare. As soon as the fighting started she decided to make her escape.

"Thanks again for coming to get me on such short notice."

"You know I would do just about anything for you."

"Don't forget that's a two way street."

"I could never forget; believe me. What with Julia, and the hording, your parent's divorce…as long as we have each other we can make it through anything."

"We really are, like, the perfect couple, huh? No wonder Adam hates us so much," she joked, snaking her arm around my waist. I happily draped my arm over her shoulders and placed a kiss on her temple.

"I wonder how his date with Fiona is going…"

"Hopefully they are rehearsing. Lord knows this showing is going to be interesting."

"Hopefully they're rehearsing one scene in particular," I amended, waggling my eyebrows at her.

"All that sexual tension between them does kind of need to find an outlet," she joked.

"And the sexual tension between us?" I questioned playfully.

"I guess we'll just have to stay tense," Clare shot back, smiling evilly up at me.

"Yeah, yeah; I know."

"I was wondering, though…"

I raised my eyebrows at her; interested to see where this segue was taking us. "Yeah?"

"If I could spend the night at your place…not because I want to have sex with you, of course, I just really don't want to go back home. We could just…sleep."

"That sounds…perfect. I don't really want to take you back home, anyway. I swear, Clare, it's like you have become more essential for me than oxygen."

"I doubt that…anyway, I was kind of planning on asking you anyway, so I brought my uniform for tomorrow. I'm all set."

"You were planning on spending the night; what if I had turned you down?"

"Please," Clare scoffed, "we both know that would never happen."

I laughed, pulling her as close to me as possible. "You know me so well."

Clare and I made our way back to my house, and I went to inform my mom that Clare would be spending the night. She had raised her eyebrows at me, but I quickly shook my head, trying to convey that all we would be doing was sleeping. Not that I minded in the least. I was content to wait till Clare was absolutely ready to take our relationship to the next level; I was just happy I didn't have to part ways with her for an entire night.

Clare, on the other hand, once we hand both changed, seemed kind of nervous. She was in an old t-shirt and pajama bottoms of mine, staring at my bed as if it was going to eat her. She had just called her mom to inform her of where she was. Her mom hadn't been too pleased, but there was nothing she could really do about it. It seemed as though Clare was starting to regret her decision, though.

"Just say the word and I'll take you home," I assured her, sitting down on my bed.

"I don't want to go home; that's not the problem. My mom just sounded kind of angry at me."

"She knows the Cece and Bullfrog are home, right?" Clare nodded. "And she trusts you, yeah?"

"I'd like to think she does."

"Then she'll realize that this is harmless, Clare. Please, try to relax."

Clare nodded, and crawled onto my bed with me. Together we lie down, and Clare snuggles up against my chest. Slowly, the tension leaves her body, and I smile to myself, thinking that I will never be able to fall asleep with this amazing girl in my presence. I just don't want to miss a single moment of being with her.

"What are you thinking," Clare whispered into the darkness.

"That I won't be able to sleep tonight."

"So, I'm not the only one, huh?"

I laughed and tightened my arms around Clare. "We should probably try anyway." I felt Clare nod her head against my chest.

After an hour of pleasant silence Clare's breath started to get deeper, and I was relieved that she had been able to fall asleep.

I, on the other hand, spent the entire night watching the girl I loved make her way from dream to dream.

It was the best night ever.

XXX

I got up extra early the next morning so I could shower before Clare woke up. When she finally did wake, she took a quick shower as well, and then we made our way to school. Both of us were in amazing moods, and nothing was going to bring us down.

The only thing that seemed to be a little off in our lives was Adam's absence. We couldn't find him anywhere, and he wasn't in English. Finally when lunch rolled around I opted to give him a call for the boy's bathroom.

"Dude, where are you?" I asked as soon as he picked up the phone.

"Sorry, I slept in. I was up late last night. I'm hauling my butt to school right now."

"Good- I wouldn't want you to miss rehearsal."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Adam assured me before ending the call.

I went back to the cafeteria to relay the news to Clare. She seemed as relieved as I was that nothing bad seemed to have happened.

I dutifully made my way through the rest of the day, really planning the scenes that we needed to run in rehearsal instead of paying attention to class.

When rehearsal finally rolled around, I saw Adam, and he looked as happy as Clare and I felt. "Big night last night?"

"You have no idea," Adam said laughing. "Want to get some dinner at The Dot later so I can tell you all about it?"

"I would love to," I assured him.

I saw Fiona walk into the auditorium, so I went to find Clare while Adam and Fiona talked.

"Dinner at The Dot later so Adam can give us the play-by-play?"

"I don't think I can," Clare said disappointedly. "If I don't get home I might give my mom a heart attack. But you'll tell me all about it, right?"

"I won't leave out a single detail," I promised.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Adam's face fall as he discussed something with Fiona…that was decidedly not good. I would have to ask him about that after rehearsal. However, at that moment, we really did need to get to work.

"Okay," I called, demanding the attention of the room, "We're ready to get started. Fiona, take your mark." She nodded at me, and we launched into the scene. All in all, the work Fiona and Adam had done last night was evident, their chemistry was spot on, and they knew their blocking. I was starting to feel like this would look like an actual show. But, I had to wonder, what had Fiona said to Adam earlier that had made him look like he had been kicked in the stomach…

When rehearsal ended, I told Adam I would meet him in an hour, said a quick goodbye to Clare, and then went home to change.

When I made my way back to The Dot Adam was sitting outside at one of the tables looking forlorn.

"Dude, what happened?"

Adam jumped. "Oh, hey, don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry. Ready to eat?"

"I'm, uh, not really hungry. Mind if we just go for a walk instead?"

"Not at all- as long as you start talking. What happened?"

"Today at rehearsal, Fiona said she wants to pretend like last night never happened."

Seeing as I had no clue what they were doing last night, his statement didn't make much sense to me. "And what exactly _did_ happen last night?" I prompted.

Adam sighed, "Last night, Fiona was into me, like, really into me. And now she claims it was some big mistake."

I hated how hurt he looked, and I hoped that maybe it was just some misunderstanding…

"Give me the play-by-play," I requested, hoping that maybe I could detect something that meant all hope was not lost.

"Okay, well, I told her about me- she already knew. And then just before she spilled her champagne, she…"

"Wait, wait, wait," I cut Adam off excitedly. "She was drinking?"

He seemed confused why I had latched onto this detail. "Maybe a little…why?"

I smiled. All hope certainly was not lost. "In vino veritas."

"I don't speak Greek," Adam informed me, annoyed.

"Latin," I corrected him, dragging it out just for the fun of it.

"Whatever," Adam dismissed. "Does it mean girls like Fiona don't fall for guys like me?"

It was time to clue him in. "Quite the opposite," I told him happily, "In wine there is truth. We people drink they say or do stuff that they're too scared to when they're sober."

Adam considered that for a moment, and then his face lit up. "Maybe she does like me…"

"I told you this once, but I'll say it again- She'd be an idiot not to."

Adam smiled, and I couldn't help but return it.

I loved my friends, and when they were happy, I was happy.

**Holy long chapter…and sorry about the even longer break between publishing something new. I've been busy; you all know the drill. End of the school year will do that to you. **

**So, let me know how I did with the chapter!**

**Thank you for reading. **


	2. Valentine's Day

**This is When Love Takes Over- Part 2 in Eli's point of view in its entirety. It's also the last time EClare will be stress free. The next Eli POV will have Fitz and tears and such. I'm probably going to cry a lot while writing it…**

**Anyway, enjoy this chapter! :**

Adam and I walked along the sidewalk in silence until Adam broke out of his mental musings.

"You know, I think I'll go visit Fiona tonight. Maybe I can…test the waters again; see if I can't get her to admit that last night wasn't a mistake, and that she does have feelings for me!"

"Good for you, man," I encouraged. Adam deserved to be happy, and he obviously wanted to be happy with Fiona. I really hoped things went better for him soon. "Just remember I scheduled a rehearsal before school in addition to our afternoon rehearsal. We need all the work we can get. So, you really shouldn't stay out too late…"

"What are you my mother? Of course I'll be responsible. Don't worry, Eli."

"Who, me- worry? I would never!" 

"True; telling you not to worry is like telling to ocean not to be wet."

I rolled my eyes at him but cracked a smile. He was right- I had an anxiety issue. I mean, people with calm nerves don't go around hoarding. "Har har; you're so funny! Can I give you a ride home, big shot?"

"To Morty," Adam declared proudly. Sometimes he was such a dork, but I loved him like the brother I didn't have.

I quickly dropped Adam off, and reminded him, again, of the morning rehearsal. I drove home, but I didn't spend more than a few minutes there before I realized I was bored, and I had to get back out of the house.

I hopped in my hearse and started to aimlessly drive around town until I ended up in front of Clare's house. I really hadn't meant to, but I guess subconsciously I wanted to see her. I always wanted to see her, but I hadn't realized how bad my ache had been until there was only a tiny distance that separated us. Weird- I saw her a few hours ago…

I got out of Morty, and knocked on the door despite the fact that I felt slightly unhinged. As long as I was on her doorstep I would take advantage of the chance to have some time alone.

Clare answered, a polite smile on her face, until she saw who was standing on her porch. Her face slipped into a surprised mask. "Hey, is everything okay? I wasn't expecting you."

I quickly took in her appearance, smirking to myself. Her short, curly hair was pulled back in a messy pony tail, she was wearing pajama pants and a tank top, and had a pencil stuck behind her ear. If I had to guess, I had interrupted homework.

"Everything's great," I quickly assured her after deciding not to make a comment about her current style. "I didn't plan on coming over; I was just driving around. But somehow I always seem to end up here. Go figure."

Clare's look of surprise slowly disappeared, and a smile took its place.

"Come on in; you can help me with some math homework."

I made a face and slipped into the house. Math was never my favorite subject, but if Clare truly needed help with it I was game.

Clare led me to the kitchen table where she had her text book, her notebook, and her calculator already set up.

"How long have you been at this?" I asked, sitting down beside her.

"About a half hour- it's pretty simple substitution and elimination, but I'm just not in a math mood so I've been kind of spacey." 

I took a deep breath. "Ah, yes, I can just smell the brains frying in there."

Clare swatted at my hand which was tapping on her temple. "Have I ever told you that you're a jerk?"

"Probably. But I've rewired my brain to hear, 'you're amazing, Eli,' instead."

Clare rolled her eyes, and plucked the pencil out from behind her ear. Just as she was starting in on a new problem her mom bustled into the kitchen.

"Oh, hi Eli. I thought I heard the door. How was your night last night?"

The accusations in her voice were clear, and she was shooting daggers at me with her eyes.

"It's good to see you, ma'am. You know, I have the utmost respect for your daughter, so last night was extremely peaceful. Lots of sleeping and not much of anything else happened. The only reason Clare stayed the night was because she wanted to get away from the fighting. I promise I was a perfect gentleman."

Clare's mom relaxed only slightly. I knew she still didn't like me, but there was no way to doubt the sincerity behind my words.

"I am glad that Clare has a haven for when her dad and I fight, but next time I'd really prefer it to be Alli's house."

"Mom," Clare spoke up, "Alli's having some family trouble right now; that's why I spent the night at Eli's instead."

"I know, I know. We discussed this already. You two have an early morning tomorrow, so Eli shouldn't stay long, okay?"

"Yes, mom, I know. I'll come say goodnight before I head to bed."

Mrs. Edwards nodded, gave me another sharp look, and then turned on her heel and headed upstairs.

"I'd say she's warming up to me!"

Clare sighed. "She'll come around. She has to."

"I'm afraid she doesn't really have to do anything. But it would be nice, huh?"

Clare simply nodded and turned her attention to her homework. I watched her concentrate, loving how she smiled just slightly every time she finished another problem. It was a small accomplishment, but Clare still took the time to appreciate it. She was just so beautiful.

"How's Adam," Clare asked, breaking the silence once she was almost done with all the problems.

"Adam is probably in bliss at Fiona's. Just like last night…I'll let him tell you all the juicy details, though. I wouldn't want to steal his thunder, you know?"

Clare punched me in the arm. "That is so not fair!"

I shrugged. "Adam would probably disagree. Besides, you need to hear him talk about it. The guy's smitten. It's kind of cute."

"I am telling Adam you said that."

"Please don't; I'll be forced to tickle you to death."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Don't test me, Edwards. You won't win."

I waggled my eyebrows at her, and she leaned in to give me a quick peck on the lips. "I can't argue with that logic. We really do have to get up early, though. I think you should get going."

"Kicking me out so early? I am wounded."

"I think your self-esteem will bounce back, Mr. Sarcasm."

"Oh, without a doubt…but, just to be sure, how about a kiss for the road?"

"I don't know; that's a pretty taxing demand."

By that time, Clare and I were at her front door. I narrowed my eyes at her, and leaned in. To my surprise, Clare actually pulled away. "Fine, I can play hard to get, too. Bye, St. Clare."

"You know I hate when you call me that."

I winked at her, and she let out a groan. "I'll see you tomorrow- bright and early, stage manager extraordinaire. Actually, do you want a ride to school?"

"That would be great, actually- if it's not too much trouble, of course."

"Ha. Because spending time with you always constitutes as a hassle in my book. Silly Clare, of course it's not too much trouble."

"Just making sure…now go before my mom's head explodes."

"Fine, fine; I can take a hint." I quickly pulled Clare in for a bear hug, and then I slipped out the door with a final wish that she have a good night.

On the drive back home I tried to think about anything but Clare, but that proved to be basically impossible. Valentine's Day was on its way, and I needed to do something special, romantic. But simple was always good, too. Perhaps the classic dinner and a movie would be fine. I was always trying to think outside the box, so we had never tried anything that laid back.

And yet…yeah, I liked the idea that had taken shape in my head way better than dinner and a movie. Clare was going to love it.

With Valentine's Day plans solidified in my head I was able to sleep peacefully. Not even my eerily empty room could keep me from a full night's rest.

I woke up extra early the next morning so I could shower, dress in my Degrassi Drama t-shirt, and head to pick up Clare. I sent her a quick text when I pulled up to her curb to let her know that I was there, and then I switched my radio to a station that we could both tolerate. Clare soon slipped into the seat beside me.

"Good morning, love. It feels good to be out of those polo's even for a little bit, huh?"

"It certainly does. It's also a plus that the t-shirts are black. I miss my freedom to dress the way I want- black on black on black."

"The uniforms could be worse…but I do miss my own style."

"Do you think Simpson will ever revert back to the old Degrassi ways?"

"One can only hope."

I pulled into a parking space, and Clare and I slipped out of Morty. We walked up the front steps, but just as we were about to head in, Clare stopped me to read one on the fliers posted to the door.

"Lovers lunch today…in the cafeteria. Sounds like fun- let's go!"

"Really, Clare?"

She frowned at me like I had just turned down the opportunity to travel to France. "You don't want to go with me?"

"That's not it at all…it just sounds a little…lame."

"What's so lame about eating lunch in the cafeteria? We do it every day."

"Yes, true, but there will be an over abundance of pink, commercialized, sappy Valentine's day type things all packed into one room. It's not really my style."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "You won't sit through that for me?"

When she started to bat her eyelashes I knew I was a goner. "Fine; if it will make you happy I will attend."

"It will make me happy."

"Good. Speaking of making you happy, I have a special date planned for the actual big day. You'll be free, right?"

"This ought to be interesting. You're like the Grinch of Valentine's Day. But, of course I'll be free."

I slung my arm around her shoulder, and we walked into the auditorium. Much of the cast and crew were already there, waiting to take direction. I quickly informed them of the scenes we would try to cover before school started, and they immediately got to work setting up.

Problem was, I was missing my two leads, and nobody could seem to find Adam or Fiona. I was going to kill that kid; he promised me he would be responsible.

Right before Clare and I sent out a search party, Adam sauntered into rehearsal, out of breath.

"And we have Adam," Clare announced, and I narrowed my eyes at him. He did not look like he got much sleep.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized, out of breath.

"Any chance you brought your leading lady?" I asked hopefully. We couldn't get much work done if we didn't have both our main characters. I was really starting to get nervous about this show. I mean, if everything went awry opening night it would technically be my fault.

"Uhh, Fiona probably slept in," Adam admitted sheepishly. "We were up late."

"Rehearsing?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"If that's what the kids are calling it," Adam joked. I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help feel proud of him. He was growing up so fast. Clare shot me a quick smile; she was happy for Adam, too.

"Officially, I don't support this diva-like behavior. Unofficially…up here!" I raised my hand for a high five, and Adam happily obliged, smacking his palm against mine. Clare looked on lovingly, and I quickly winked at her.

"You were right, dude," the smile never leaving Adam's face. "Fiona's totally into me."

I knew she would be. Adam was a great guy, and you didn't need any alcohol to see that. "No champagne required," I deduced proudly. But, Adam hesitated as if trying to find the right way to say what was on his mind. "She's drinking again," I concluded disappointedly.

"She likes champagne and me separately," Adam started to defend her. "If you spent time with us you'd see that."

"Well, then let's spend time with you," Clare offered brilliantly. "I'm dragging Eli to the lovers lunch in the caf today...you and Fiona should come with." I rolled my eyes at the mention of the lunch. Just kill me now. However, if Adam was going to suffer through it, too, I might actually enjoy myself.

"T-t-today?" Adam questioned nervously.

"Unless you have other plans," I mocked playfully, knowing that he didn't have a good excuse to miss it.

"No, that…that should be fine," Adam assured us reluctantly. I had to wonder if his hesitation was rooted in the same reason I didn't want to go, or if there was something deeper.

"Great," I declare conclusively, "then we'll see you at noon."

Adam nodded, and Clare smiled up at me.

An extra named Pete walked up to us then. "Since the female lead isn't here, is practice cancelled till the afternoon?"

Ah, yes, I had momentarily forgotten my role as director. "Oh, yeah, thanks. Hey, everyone- thank you all for showing up so early in the morning. Your dedication is appreciated. However, because not everyone seems to share that dedication, I've decided the best use of this rehearsal time would be to work on Adam's monologue. I will see you all at four, and, once again, I'm sorry."

After everyone filed out of the auditorium Clare and Adam turned to me. "Are we really working on my monologue? Because I have slaved over that thing for days, and I could really just use a break."

"Nah, I'm confident you'll do fine. I thought you could fill Clare in on all the details you told me yesterday, instead."

Clare laughed. "You are a conniving person. Here I thought you were actually planning on being productive."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Fair enough; okay Adam, tell me everything!"

Adam launched into his tale, giving Clare much more detail than he had given me. I was pretty sure he was just trying to pacify her, though. Before we knew it the bell was ringing, and we all had to get to our first class of the day.

Time seemed to pass very quickly, but it could have been because I really didn't want to go to the lover's lunch. Like it or not, though, I was going. So, at noon exactly I met Clare and Adam and my locker, and we walked to the cafeteria together.

"Fiona's definitely coming, right?" I asked Adam as we were shown to our table.

"I sent her one of those cheesy invites, but I didn't hear back. So, I guess we'll have to wait and see."

"I'm sure she'll show up," Clare assured him, but she shot me a worried glance.

Fiona still hadn't showed up by the time they opened up the lunch line for all the 'lovers'. Holly J took the stage, and said something lame about dessert, and then all was quiet. I could see Adam shift uncomfortably in his seat, and glance down at his watch…which probably hadn't moved much since he had looked at it at least 5 seconds before.

"Twelve ten," Adam declared. "I guess she's not coming."

He looked so broken and vulnerable…but Fiona kept doing this to him; toying with his emotions. I wanted to be supportive of him, but I was kind of starting to resent the girl. And I didn't even really know her. Clare met my gaze, and I could tell she was thinking something along the same lines.

"Hellooo," A loud voice called out, making Adam's head snap up. Then, a very cheery Fiona plopped down in the seat next to a relived looking Adam.

"You made it," he pointed out the obvious happily.

"How could I resist spending time with you, Eli and Clare?" She was talking just a tad too loud, and she looked slightly off kilter. I had seen my parents like that many times before…always after they had had one too many drinks. I was their official designated driver. "You have pretty eyes," Fiona complimented Clare, her attention shifting quickly. Comically, that had been the first thing I had said to Clare, too. The only difference being that I was sober.

Clare looked away awkwardly, not knowing how to react. "Um, thanks…"

"The color of that shirt does nothing for them," Fiona persisted. She almost sounded upset by this fact. Clare looked down at her shirt in confusion, still not knowing how to handle Fiona's drunkenness. I really wanted to laugh, but Fiona didn't need encouragement.

In fact, what Fiona really needed was a glass of water and to sleep off whatever buzz she had worked up. "Dude," I whispered to Adam, "you need to get her out of here- she's wasted."

Apparently, I wasn't being as discreet as I wanted to be because Fiona leaned in closer to me and Adam. "It's not very nice to whisper, is it?" she yelled in Adam's face, giving him a pointed look.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Adam no longer looked happy that Fiona showed up. He seemed disappointed and confused. Not that I could blame him; I'd probably feel the same way in his place.

"But we just got here," Fiona whined. "Besides, Clare and I are really hitting it off."

For lack of a better word, Fiona flirtatiously placed her hand on top of Clare's. Clare returned the gesture, placing her other hand on top of both hers and Fiona's, but with a sarcastic edge.

"No, I want to be alone with you," Adam tried, his annoyance shining through.

"Oh," Fiona laughed, finally understanding, "that type of walk."

"Yeah," Adam grabbed her hand to pull her along. "Come on."

Before she left, Fiona turned to Clare." We should go shopping; call me!"

And with that…she and Adam were gone.

"So much for seeing how much she likes him without champagne involved," I let the acidic sarcasm color my tone.

"That was…interesting," Clare agreed.

I laughed. "Have you never dealt with a drunken person before? You were, like, in shock."

"My mom and dad were never big drinkers, no. That was a little…weird for me. I'll never understand the desire to lose control like that. Why would you want to be so…unaware of your words and actions?"

"Some people don't like the person they are, so it's easier to just numb the pain. Maybe Fiona's struggling with some big self-discovery. Or, maybe she's just an alcoholic."

Clare laughed humorlessly. "It could be both."

"That is a very good point, my love. Thanks for dragging me to this lunch. That was kind of entertaining. I just hope Adam learns from this. I don't really think he needs to be dealing with Fiona's emotional baggage on top of his own. That girl has some serious work to do on herself before she's ready for our Adam."

"Aww, you sound like his big brother."

"I'm just looking out for my friends. It's what I do best."

Clare couldn't argue with that, so we ate our lunch in a peaceful silence.

XXX

After the whole lunch debacle Clare and I went looking for Adam, but he seemed to be missing again, so I decided to send out a memo that rehearsal had been canceled. Adam clearly needed us to be there for him, and be there we would be.

After school ended, Clare and I searched the entire school until we found Adam in the auditorium. He was facing away from the doors, so I couldn't see his face, but I could tell he was upset by the way he was hunched over.

"We've been looking for you," I informed him, and he jumped just slightly. "We canceled rehearsal."

Slowly, Adam stood up and turned to face us. He looked tired and beat. Poor kid just couldn't catch a break, and he deserved one more than anyone I knew. "Sorry…about Fiona."

Like it was his fault that his girlfriend decided to show up to lunch drunk.

"Don't be," Clare told him tenderly.

"Women are trouble," I added playfully, although the statement was true enough.

"Even me?" Clare asked, turning toward me.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her as close to me as possible. "Especially you," I reminded her fondly. For a moment I forgot that Adam was in the room entirely. I was lost in Clare's 'pretty eyes.' She was just so damn beautiful that it made my heart pound painfully. I glanced down at her lips, aching to kiss her, but Adam spoke up, reminding me that he was still there, and that would have been awkward.

"I want that," Adam said longingly, "what you two have."

I couldn't blame him; everyone in the world should get a shot at being as happy as I was with Clare. But I could not think of one single person more deserving than Adam. Hell, he deserved it more than I did. "And get it you will," I truly believed that he would. "But for right now…let's blow this joint!"

Adam and Clare giggled at my tiny attempt to be gangster, and we all turned around to head out the door. The only thing stopping us was Fiona…who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"Did I miss rehearsal?" she asked sheepishly. "I thought it started at four."

Clare and I turned to Adam simultaneously, waiting for his cue on how to proceed. "Can you guys give us a minute?" he requested.

"We'll be out there if you need us," I assured him, and Clare and I took off to sit on the bench just outside the auditorium. Adam and Fiona weren't talking loud enough to hear, but Clare and I were practically holding our breath so that we could catch small fractions of the conversation.

They weren't in the auditorium for very long, but they came out hand in hand. "Thanks for waiting guys, but I'm going to walk Fiona home," Adam told us, beaming.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing…I wanted to shake Adam senseless. How many times was he going to let Fiona stomp on his heart and disappoint him before he let her go? I just didn't have a good feeling about this.

"Okay, be careful," Clare told them, all smiles.

"Are you nuts?" I asked her once Adam and Fiona were out of earshot.

"Look, I don't like them together as much as you seem to, but it's what Adam wants. We have to be there for him."

I sighed. "You're right. Damnit…I hate when that happens."

"You must hate your life, then, because I'm always right."

"Yes, dear."

Clare laughed. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"I love you more…can I take you home?"

"But of course. It's been a long day…I could use a nap."

"Me too…and then tomorrow you're in for the date of a lifetime."

"I'm counting on that," Clare narrowed her eyes menacingly.

I simply laughed, loving how light I felt whenever I was with her.

XXX

The next morning at school Adam was very excited. He was going on and on about how things seemed to be finally falling into place and that Fiona promised to stop drinking so much. Clare and I shot each other skeptical looks throughout his entire blissful rant, but we tried to be happy for him just the same.

In other news, Clare kept trying to weasel the date plans out of me, but I refused to ruin the surprise. We were so occupied, in fact, that we didn't notice Adam was missing at lunch.

We did, however, get the message loud and clear when Adam texted both Clare and I that he was taking Fiona to rehab, and he needed to meet us at The Dot after school.

I diligently cancelled rehearsal again. I didn't have the complete story yet, but I was thinking this show needed to be postponed or cancelled. If our leading lady was checking into rehab then it would be a little difficult to put on a production.

Then, the guilt kicked in because thoughts about the show should have come second to my concern for Adam.

As soon as the final bell rang, Clare and I hopped into Morty and took off for The Dot. Adam was already there at a table. He looked so upset.

"Hey, man," I greeted him as I slid into the chair next to him. Clare plopped down in the other available seat. "What exactly is going on now?"

"I tricked Fiona into going to rehab today. She hates me now."

"I'm sure that's not true," Clare assured him.

"No, it is," Adam told her miserably.

"Well, do you want to talk about it?" I asked. He shook his head. "Okaayyy…"

"We can't help you if you don't tell us what happened," Clare reasoned, but Adam just shrugged.

I looked around for a clue as to what I should be doing, but all I saw was freshly baked apple pie…well, it was worth a shot. Comfort food was a miracle worker, right?

I walked up to the counter, and slid a few bills to the waiter. "Can I have a piece of pie, please?"Almost immediately a plate with a large slice of pie was handed to me, and I took it over to our table. "Pie?" I offered, placing the plate in front of Adam. He shook his head. "Come on, it'll make you feel better!"

"Fiona says she never wants to see me again," Adam elaborated slightly. That was harsh…Adam was just trying to help, after all.

"She wasn't thinking straight," I offered, trying my best to be comforting. I was really out of my element, though. I had never been in the situation myself, so I couldn't empathize, and I was kind of pissed at Fiona for hurting Adam again, so it was hard to be understanding. She had hurt my friend one time too many.

"She'll change her mind," Clare jumped in, sounding much more convincing than I would have.

And yet Adam sighed dejectedly, and hopped out of his chair. "Where are you going?" I called after him.

"To wallow in self pity," Adam shot back matter-of-factly.

Before he could make it out the door, though, Holly J was there. Clare and I shared a knowing look, and then turned our attention away so they could talk.

"Looks like we'll have to reschedule our date. I think we need to be here for Adam instead."

Clare nodded. "At least tell me what you had planned. The anticipation is killing me!"

I hesitated a moment, but decided it was the least I could do. "I was going to take us on a trip to all the important landmarks of our relationship- the picnic table, our special bench, the piercing salon, the abandoned church…you know, all the special places that remind me of you."

"Aww, Eli, that's so romantic. But, you know, Valentine's Day is all about being there for the people you love…and there is no one I love more than you and Adam."

I nodded in agreement. So, maybe Valentine's Day wasn't so bad after all. As long as I got to spend it with Clare everyday for the rest of my life I would never complain again.

Love will do that to you.

**Coming soon to a computer near you- Jesus, Etc in Eli's point of view! I'm so excited, but so sad at the same time…**

**Oh well. How was this chapter? **


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